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The Selma to Montgomery March for Voting Rights

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The Selma to Montgomery March for Voting Rights THE CURRENT EVENTS CLASSROOM THE SELMA TO MONTGOMERY MARCH FOR VOTING RIGHTS In March 2015, we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March for Voting Rights, which led to the passing of the Voting Rights Act later that year. The anniversary provides a good opportunity to teach about activism and voting rights then and now. After the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which largely addressed racial discrimination and segregation, voting rights for African Americans remained difficult during that time, especially in the South. In the early 1960s, there had been a great deal of organizing and protesting around voting rights and in February 1965 the murder of civil rights activist Jimmie Lee Jackson by state troopers while he was participating in a peaceful voting rights protest led activists to organize a huge protest march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. The purpose of the march was to push for voting rights legislation and it took three attempts to complete the march; the first attempt on March 7 came to be known as “Bloody Sunday” because Alabama state troopers rushed the marchers at the Edmund Pettis Bridge with whips, nightsticks and tear gas and beat them back to Selma. On March 15, President Johnson announced to a joint session of Congress that he would bring them an effective voting rights bill. The Voting Rights Act was signed into law on August 6, 1965. This high school lesson will give students background information about the historical struggle for voting rights and the Selma to Montgomery March that took place in Alabama in March 1965. Students will also explore voting restrictions today and gain insight into what can and should be done to preserve the right to vote. [NOTE TO TEACHER: Because the word “negro” is used in the video and speeches from the 1950s and 60s time period, an explanation about the word is recommended. Explain to students that during that time, the word “negro” was used to describe a person of black ancestry. It was considered to be the most socially appropriate term for African Americans and was accepted as normal until the later part of the Civil Rights Movement in the late 1960s.] See these additional ADL resources: The Civil Rights Act of 1964: 7 Ways to Commemorate the Anniversary, Curriculum Connections “Martin Luther King, Jr. and Civil Rights: Relevancy for Today,” Civil Rights Movement, Teaching About Ferguson and Beyond, 10 Ways Youth Can Engage In Activism, Voting Rights Act Advocacy, and Safeguarding the Right to Vote. Grade Level: grades 9–12 Time: 45–60 minutes Common Core Anchor Standards: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening © 2015 Anti-Defamation League, www.adl.org/education-outreach Page 1 of 7 The Current Events Classroom adl.org/curriculum-resources Learning Objectives: Students will learn about the Selma to Montgomery March and the events leading up to it that took place in Alabama in March 1965. Students will learn about voting restrictions today as a result of voter suppression laws and the 2013 Shelby County v. Holder Supreme Court ruling. Students will examine and reflect upon videos and photographs from that time period and write a short news article based on a photograph. Students will gain insight from discussing school elections in order to explore what actions can be taken to address voting rights today. Material: Selma to Montgomery March Background (one copy for each student) March from Selma to Montgomery video (5 min., History.com, www.history.com/topics/black- history/voting-rights-act/videos/march-from-selma-to- montgomery?m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1&free=false) Photography exhibit from “These Rare Photos of the Selma March Place You in the Thick of History” (Smithsonian.com, January 14, 2015, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/rare-photos-selma-march- thick-history-180953874/?no-ist) “Blacking Out the Vote” (The Huffington Post, The Blog, November 3, 2014, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-w-murphy/blacking-out-the-vote_b_6096566.html), one copy for each student Vocabulary: Review the following vocabulary words and make sure students know their meanings. (See ADL’s “Glossary of Education Terms.”) activism illiterate preclearance segregation civil disobedience intimidation protest disenfranchise legislation racially motivated enacted non-violent restrictions equal rights partisan sacrifices INFORMATION SHARING: SELMA TO MONTGOMERY MARCH 1. Ask students: What do you know about the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s? What do you know about voting rights? Have you ever heard of Selma, Alabama and if so, what happened there in 1965? Do you know anyone who was alive during that time period and what have they told you about it? Allow students to share for several minutes. Explain that March 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March in Alabama, which led to passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 2. Distribute one copy of the handout Selma to Montgomery March Background to each student and either summarize it for the students or read aloud together, having students take turns. © 2015 Anti-Defamation League, www.adl.org/education-outreach Page 2 of 7 The Current Events Classroom adl.org/curriculum-resources 3. After reading the background information, engage students in a discussion by asking the following questions: What did you learn that you did not know before? How do you think the protestors felt before, during and after the march from Selma to Montgomery? Why did the protestors feel so strongly that they risked violence and even death? What do you think it was like to be a spectator of the march during that time period? What was lost? What was accomplished? How would you feel if some people were allowed to vote and others were not—for example, in school elections? What are some ways you think people could restrict your right to vote? VIDEO VIEWING: MARCH FROM SELMA TO MONTGOMERY 1. Play the 5-minute video March from Selma to Montgomery that tells the story of the historic march. Encourage students to take notes on what is noteworthy to them. 2. After watching the video, have students take three minutes to write down their reflections from the video, responding to any or all of the following questions. (Write the questions on the board/ smartboard for students to refer to.) How did you feel while watching the video? What stands out for you from what you saw in the video? What did you learn that you didn’t know? What characteristics and personality traits would you use to describe the organizers and protesters? 3. After jotting down notes, have students turn and talk to a person sitting near them and share their notes with their partner. Give students five minutes for this. 4. Ask if anyone would like to share any of their reflections. PHOTOGRAPH REFLECTIONS Show to students the online photography exhibit from the article “These Rare Photos of the Selma March Place You in the Thick of History,” which includes 15 photos from the march. You can either project the photos on the board/smartboard or print them out and hang them around the room. Looking at one photo at a time, have students respond to the following three questions about each: What’s going on in the picture? What do you think the person/people are thinking and feeling? If you could ask the person/people in the photos a question, what would you ask? Optional: If time permits, have each student select one of the photos and write a short (2–3 paragraphs) news story about it. Students can use the caption at the bottom of the photo as the first sentence in the story and then write the rest, using what they already know and have learned in the lesson. Have students read their news stories aloud with the rest of the class. © 2015 Anti-Defamation League, www.adl.org/education-outreach Page 3 of 7 The Current Events Classroom adl.org/curriculum-resources READING ACTIVITY: VOTING RESTRICTIONS TODAY 1. Explain to students that although sweeping legislation was passed in 1965 regarding voting rights, serious problems remain. Tell students that over the past few years, many states have enacted specific voting laws that restrict voting which include (1) requiring voter ID and/or proof of citizenship, (2) restricting early in-person voting and (3) making voter registration more difficult. These laws disenfranchise eligible voters, and disproportionately affect people of color, the elderly, young voters, and those who live in poverty. 2. In addition, explain that a 2013 Supreme Court case called Shelby County v. Holder struck down key provisions of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). It held that Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, which sets out the formula that is used to determine which state and local governments must comply with Section 5’s preclearance requirement, is unconstitutional and can no longer be used. This means that the formula used to decide which places would have to preclear their laws was outdated and will no longer be used. (For more information, see The Voting Rights Act and Shelby County v. Holder.) 3. Have students silently read the article “Blacking Out the Vote” or assign it the night before for homework. Give students 10 minutes to read the article. 4. After reading the article, engage students in a discussion by asking the following questions: What point of view does the article convey? How does the author connect the Voting Rights Act to current day strategies that deny people the right to vote? Why is voting such an important part of the democratic process? Do you think the anniversary of Selma is a cause for celebration or mourning? Why? CLOSING: ACTIVISM 1.
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